The Real Science behind Rick and Morty
The Science behind Rick and Morty explained
Rick and Morty is the groundbreaking adult animated sci-fi sitcom created by Justin Roland and Dan Harmon. Since its release in 2013, the show’s fan base has grown exponentially. Rick and Morty has quickly risen up the ranks to take the spot of the best animated adult show in decades. Millions of viewers are still tuning in by the second to know why the show is so popular. Maybe the real science behind Rick and Morty will offer some insight into the hype.
Feature Photo Source: PsyCat Games Wikipedia Commons
Rick and Morty hits the sweet spot of sci-fi
It’s not rocket science why Rick and Morty is so popular. The show harmonizes a lot of elements that makes it appealing to the audience. One of the defining elements of the show is the scientific concepts and futuristic technologies it portrays. Sci-fi in general is gradually losing its spark over time. We have seen so much of it that’s becoming normal and borderline boring. It’s gotten so bad that many shows and movies make a mockery of the genre by their outputs. But when you do sci-fi like Rick and Morty, voila! As a bonus, Rick and Morty is an animation so any deviation from real science still clicks, right?
For a second, you might consider Rick and Morty making a mess of things. A great number of shows could have easily abused science to a point of irritation, but not Rick and Morty. As a matter of fact, you’d think the show was written by boundless mad scientists. The kinds that imagine everything and anything, and develop them in a way you can’t resist. We didn’t expect less of such ingenuity from Rick Sanchez who is the smartest man in the world.
Let’s explore some of the show’s prominent scientific concepts that scored a point on the real science board.
Cockroach mind control
No one but Rick Sanchez can turn themselves into a pickle just to skip a family therapy. Of course, that’s way beyond science, but we never say never. The thought of completely transforming one life form to another is mesmerizing. Think of the things we could do with that.
In S3E3 titled “Pickle Rick”, Rick did something not so far from scientific reality. No, it’s not turning a full sized man into a pickle. In an attempt to fully mobilize his pickle form, Pickle-Rick took control of a cockroach’s brain to control its appendages.
Scientists have discovered a spot in a cockroach’s brain which causes the legs to move when poked. Rick wasn’t typically fooling around when he used his tongue to poke the cockroach’s brain to get its legs to move.
The Multiverse Theory
Without the multiverse theory, Rick and Morty may have been short-lived as a show. It’s one of the bizarre elements of the show that make it absurd in an intriguing manner. In reality, the multiverse theory doesn’t have any scientific evidence. However, it is welcomed amongst some theoretical physicists. In the field of quantum physics, every quantum event has an infinite number of possible outcomes. There’s a possibility our universe is one out of an infinite number of universes. It’s all within the reach of theoretical possibility.
Wormholes and Teleportation
The show makes travel through wormholes look easy. Rick’s treasured portal gun can spin up a wormhole in your backyard or anywhere with the speed of light. The equipment itself may be far out of reach, but not the science. A Harvard physicist has shown that wormholes can exist. Travel through them is equally possible but likely not as fast as Rick makes it look. It’s only a matter of time till we are whipping them up like Rick, or not.
Mind controlling parasites
In S2E4, the Smith family had a rough one with alien parasites that invade a person’s mind. The parasites planted fake memories and took on the form of fictional family members and friends to escape annihilation. Some of these events are exaggerated but not far from scientific truth. Experts around the world have uncovered about 10 creepy parasites that takeover the minds of their host. A good example is the Castrator barnacles that hijack both mind and body of unsuspecting crabs. They shed their hard shells and squeeze themselves into the crab through the claw joints. Once they’re in, they harm both body and mind. They start off leeching the crab’s nutrients and eventually make it do their bidding.
Rick and Morty is a fun science class
The more you watch, the more you discover bits of scientific evidence littered across the episodes. The mentions above are not exhaustive. For even more real Rick and Morty science, you might want to check out The Science of Rick and Morty by Matt Brady. It’s going to be worth your while. Make sure to toke up on some weed strains for creativity while you glance over the pages. You may be writing the next blockbuster sci-fi movie.
